


Still Believe in Santa Claus

by lolahardy



Series: Mistakes Made (...then set straight) [130]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, M/M, Mpreg, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 01:15:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17457800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lolahardy/pseuds/lolahardy
Summary: Have you done anything yet about Santa? Edward's too old to believe, I guess, but Briar Rose is still young enough? Maybe Edward catches Eames and Arthur playing Santa on Christmas Eve and helps them finish when BR wakes up with a bad dream?





	Still Believe in Santa Claus

On Christmas Eve, after a nice dinner and all the animated Christmas specials, it was time for the kids to go to bed. They were practically buzzing with excitement, Briar Rose jumping around, with each jump, her white nightgown flew up just enough so her candy cane colored socks were revealed.

“Daddy, dadda I can’t go to bed!”

Eames smiled, taking his daughter’s hand as he began to take her upstairs.

“If you don’t go to bed, then Santa will see you and you might not get presents.”

She gasped and began to race ahead as Eames laughed. Edward followed close behind with Arthur and Phillip and though he had passed the age of truly believing in Santa, he didn’t dare break the news to his younger siblings. He knew Briar Rose and Phillip still believed and he encouraged them to be good and helped Briar Rose write her Christmas list and still reminded her that their parents personally delivered the letters to Santa.

Edward had been a smart boy and put two and two together that Santa was a story and wasn’t real and he was sure his parents had something to do with it.

After the bedtime routines and the goodnight kisses, Arthur and Eames went downstairs. They took a break, relaxing on the couch and having some mulled wine. Arthur rested his head on Eames’ shoulder for a while and when they finished their drinks, Arthur checked his watch and said,

“Should we get started?”

“Yeah, before it gets too late.”

Arthur nodded and they got to their feet. Arthur went downstairs to the basement to get the kids presents while Eames ate some of the cookies Briar Rose left out to further along the illusion. When Arthur returned back up, Eames helped, taking half the gift pile and the both of them began to arrange them under the tree.

They hadn’t even gotten half way done when they heard a shout from upstairs and both parents stopped and listened. A moment later, they saw Edward coming downstairs.

“Dad? Briar Rose had a nightmare.”

Arthur frowned and Eames shook his head and went upstairs, passing Edward and ruffling his hair as he went to tend to his daughter. Meanwhile, Edward went down to Arthur and saw all the presents and smiled.

“I knew it was you guys.”

Arthur felt a little sad that it was now confirmed before his very eyes that his eldest no longer believed in Santa. But he was relieved that he was taking it so well. He watched Edward kneel down, still in his Avenger pajamas, his hair messy from sleep as he took a present from the stack and looked at it.

“How did you know?”

Edward shrugged.

“I just knew. This proved it.”

Arthur nodded, continuing the arranging as Edward helped.

“Are you sad that Santa isn’t real?”

“Nah. I mean…it’s a cool story. I like it. It’s like Disney movies. Those are cool but I know those aren’t real.”

Arthur nodded as Edward continued.

“It’s okay. I still love Christmas.”

“I’m glad.”

“I won’t tell Briar Rose. She’s too little.”

“Thanks. It’s important for parents to have that little bit of magic for their kids.”

Edward nodded.

By the time Eames got Briar Rose back in bed and sound asleep, Arthur and Edward had finished and Arthur was cuddling Edward on the couch, his eldest sound asleep again. Eames smiled when he saw them.

“How’s the sprog?”

“He’s good. He understands about Santa and all that.”

“Ah, did we ruin it for him?”

“No, he figured it out. He’s a smart kid.”

“Yeah he is.”

“He also promised that he wouldn’t tell Briar Rose. He knows how important it is to her.”

Eames looked at his son proudly.

“Damn, he’s such a good kid.”

“He is.”

Arthur kissed the top of his head and held him a little tighter before scooping him up and taking him back to bed.


End file.
